Premier League, Liverpool beat Brentford: Records broken
What's the story
Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Takumi Minamino netted one goal each as Liverpool downed Brentford 3-0 on Sunday in the Premier League. With this win, Jurgen Klopp's men have gone ahead of Chelsea and have a two-point advantage. The Reds were too good for Brentford, who remain 14th, having lost four of the last five games. Here are the key records scripted.
Context
Why does it matter?
With this victory, Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Premier League. It also helped them in closing the gap with runaway leaders Manchester City to 11 points. They came into this game on the back of a 2-2 draw against Chelsea. Liverpool will be ecstatic with the three points and a clean sheet to top that.
Match
How the match panned out?
Liverpool started the game strongly before Fabinho broke the deadlock in the 44th minute. He was assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a cross following a corner. Oxlade-Chamberlain doubled the home team's lead in the 69th minute from a header. Robertson had set up Oxlade-Chamberlain up with a cross. Eight minutes later, Takumi Minamino netted the third goal for the Reds.
Standings
Liverpool and Brentford's situation in the Premier League
Liverpool are currently occupying the second spot in the Premier League table with 45 points in their kitty from 21 games (W13 D6 L2). They have scored 55 goals (highest). Brentford, on the other hand, suffered their 10th defeat this season. They have 23 points from 21 games, having conceded 33 goals so far. Brentford face Manchester United at home next.
Stats
Peculiar data related to Brentford
According to Opta, this is the first time Brentford traveled to Anfield to face Liverpool in any competition in the 21st century. The last time the Reds' hosted them, it was 1989 and the quarter-final of the FA Cup. Liverpool won that match 4-0. The Bees played this last league game here in 1946. They conceded the match 0-1.
Opta stats
Achievements by Minamino and Alexander-Arnold
Minamino has become the first player since Daniel Sturridge (2013) and the fifth overall to score a goal for Liverpool in the Premier League on his birthday. Since the start of 2018-19, Alexander-Arnold (42) has registered the most number of assists in Europe's top five leagues. He is now only behind Thomas Müller (64) and Lionel Messi (47).
Absence
Unique record for the Reds
As per Opta, this was the first time Liverpool missed the services of both Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in a Premier League match since the Egyptian joined the club in 2017. Liverpool have scored 378 goals in PL since the start of 2017-18 season and out of those 180 (48%) were netted by either Salah or Mane (excluding this game).
Do you know?
Key stats for Oxlade-Chamberlain and Alexander-Arnold
As per Squawka Football, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has scored a Premier League goal at Anfield for the first time since July 2020 against Chelsea. Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold is the first player to provide 10+ assists in the Premier League this season.